Have You Tried the Famous Cabbage Soup Diet?

The weight loss program called Cabbage Soup Diet is designed for heavy consumption of low-calorie soups during the entire 7 days. Although seen by a lot of people as "fad diet," this plan have been tried by a number of famous people like models, celebrities and flight attendants. In fact, there have been numerous testimonials for this diet program.

One of those people who tried this program is Melissa Browne from Fox News.com, Health Section. She says that she lost 5 pounds when she went through the diet for one week.

Origins

No one truly knows where Cabbage Soup Diet originated. Some historians say that this diet plan is a good example of an urban legend - like a modern folklore that is passed through e-mail, photocopies, or word of mouth.

According to American Dietetic Association, this diet plan was first identified around 1950 (though it may date back earlier). After that, it was revived during early 1980s as "Dolly Parton Diet" and "TWA (Trans World Airlines) Diet."

In the middle of 1990s, Cabbage Soup Diet reappeared. Due to modern technology like fax machines and the internet, this diet has spread worldwide. In fact, it was even published in magazines like GQ (Gentlemen's Quarterly) and Cosmopolitan in 1995.

Some health associations were attributed to this diet - they supposedly gave it to overweight patients to help them lose a few pounds quickly before a heart surgery. This is why Cabbage Soup Diet is also referred to as Miami Heart Diet, Mayo Clinic Diet, American Heart Diet, Spokane Diet, and Sacred Heart Diet.

Precautions

Generally, cabbage soup is safe for adults who are in good health. However, if you have eating disorders, Type II diabetes, or other conditions, it would be best for you to consult a registered dietitian or doctor before you go through with it.

Also, due to the repetitive and restrictive nature of the diet, you cannot sustain it for a long period of time. This is why it has to be stopped on the 7th day.

Some side effects may appear such as light-headedness, dizziness, and flatulence (or intestinal gas). Since the common version of the cabbage soup recipe is usually high in salt, those dieters that are trying to restrict their intake of sodium should discuss a little flexibility with their physician.

Evaluations

Although there is no mainstream clinical trial of the soup, the cabbage itself was studied by food chemists and nutritionists for many years. In fact, it has been considered as good food to be included in any well-balanced and healthful diet.

After finishing the 7-day diet, Browne said that she learned quite a few things regarding her eating habits. Even though she may regard herself as a healthy eater, it has not occurred to her that she is not eating enough vegetables and fruits.

The diet helped her to be creative in putting together various combinations of healthy food cooked in different ways. She admitted that when you are stuck with eating veggies for several days, you could think of ways to enjoy it. It also made her conscious of drinking more water, which has not been part of her habit before this diet.